1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method for producing cheese, and more particularly to a method for shortening the ripening process which requires a long time for the manufacture of the cheese.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The latest westernization of eating habits has made use of cheese in a variety of foods at an increasing ratio. There are various kinds of cheese and the methods of producing them are diverse. However, a common disadvantage encountered in the use of these methods is the considerably long period of time needed for ripening. Ripening is necessary to develop the taste and texture, etc. of the cheese, which is carried out in the presence of lactobacilli, enzyme or the like. Ripening takes several weeks to half a year at a minimum and one or more years in general. As ripening proceeds gradually during this long term by the action of the lactobacilli or enzyme added, the taste and texture of cheese result in harmony. The formation of the taste and texture is greatly dependent on the ripening term, kind of microorganism and adding amount of microorganism added, and further dependent on the temperature and moisture, so that every kind of cheese has its own taste and texture. Moreover, people cherish the traditional qualities characteristic to each kind of cheese or each location of production.
However, the above-mentioned long term necessary for ripening undesirably increases the cost of the cheese and causes a delay in responding to a change in demand.
More specifically, since several weeks or one year is necessary for ripening, a large amount of money and labor is necessitated for maintaining the raw material, ripening place, and control of the ripening conditions, etc. during the term. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the cheese is raised. Therefore, it has been strongly desired to shorten the ripening term to produce, particularly, to mass-produce the cheese.
Meanwhile, there are some proposals made to shorten the ripening term. For example, it is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-29973 (29973/1981) to improve the starter material, whereby the ripening term is reduced to 3-4 weeks from several months. Likewise, Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-38169 (38169/1981) discloses raising the ratio of moisture to shorten the fermentation term to ten days. According to another Japanese Patent No. 63-502877 (502877/1988), it is suggested to leave the cheese in an electric field during a part of the ripening term, so that the ripening term can be reduced to approximately four weeks.
In any method referred to above, however, ten or more days are still required for ripening. The method by the Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-38169 is applicable only to liquid cheese. Therefore, the above known methods are not considered very suitable to shorten the ripening term.
In addition, liquid cheese is unstable from a viewpoint of the microorganism, and therefore it is prone to bring about an unfavorable flavor called off-flavor or deteriorate the balance of taste due to the generation of bitterness.